The invention relates generally to toy vehicles, and more particularly to toy vehicles having steerable wheels in order to enable control of the direction of travel of the toy vehicle. The invention has potential application on numerous types of toy vehicles, including toy cars, toy trains, toy trucks and the like. The invention is preferably used on toy vehicles that are radio-controlled, although the invention can be used on any toy vehicle having wheels that can be steered on command by an operator of the vehicle.
In the toy vehicle art, there is a need to keep the toy vehicle relatively simple in design with fewer parts, as well as to reduce the size and weight of the toy vehicle and to reduce costs. This is particularly important in toy vehicles having steerable wheels, since the steering mechanism for steering the wheels must be incorporated onto the toy vehicle. Any steering mechanism design that is able to reduce parts and simplify design, as well as reduce vehicle size, weight and costs, would be beneficial.
Numerous toy vehicle steering mechanisms for steering toy vehicles are known from the prior art, as illustrated by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,163,341; 4,571,213; 4,471,566; 4,898,562; 4,854,909; 4,563,162; 4,816,795; 3,579,906; and JP 4-135591. While these known mechanisms are generally satisfactory for their intended purpose, there is a continuing need for an improved steering mechanism that saves space, thereby reducing vehicle size, and that saves costs, both in the steering mechanism itself and in the toy vehicle in which the steering mechanism is used.
An improved steering mechanism for a toy vehicle is provided, particularly a toy vehicle having wheels that are steerable by an operator of the toy vehicle through suitable commands input by the operator. The steering mechanism uses a minimum number of parts and simple, relatively cheap materials. The steering mechanism has a relatively small size, thereby reducing the size of the vehicle, and can be installed at a variety of locations and positions on the vehicle. Further, the design of the steering mechanism improves the steering action on the wheels. Moreover, the small size and improved steering action permits the steering mechanism to be incorporated into very small toy vehicles.
As defined by the claims appended hereto, in one embodiment in accordance with the principles of the invention, a toy vehicle is provided that includes a chassis, first and second wheels pivotally mounted to the chassis, and a steering mechanism mounted on the chassis and operatively connected to the first and second wheels for steering the wheels. The steering mechanism includes a steering module having a coil disposed on the chassis, with the coil having a first end and a second end with a central axis extending between the first and second ends thereof. The coil may be operatively connected with a first bar. The first bar may be disposed adjacent the first end of the coil and mounted along a first substantially linear axis generally perpendicular to the central axis of the coil. The coil and the first bar are mounted to be moveable relative to one another. In addition, first and second magnets are mounted on the first bar along the first substantially linear axis. The first and second magnets each include a north pole and a south pole, with the north pole of the first magnet facing the first end of the coil and the south pole of the second magnet facing the first end of the coil. The steering module may include a biasing mechanism to bias the steering module to a normally central position when a current flow through the coil is stopped.
In another embodiment in accordance with the principles of the invention, a steering mechanism is provided for a toy vehicle having first and second wheels. The steering mechanism comprises a steering module including a coil having a first end and a second end with a central axis extending between the first and second ends thereof. The steering module further includes a first bar disposed adjacent a first end of a coil. The coil may be stationary while the first bar is slidably engaged with the coil, and mounted for movement along a first substantially linear axis generally perpendicular to the central axis of the coil. The first bar has a first end operatively connected to the first wheel and a second end operatively connected to the second wheel whereby movement of the first bar along the first substantially linear axis results in pivoting movement of the first and second wheels. In addition, first and second magnets are mounted on the first bar and are moveable therewith along the first substantially linear axis. The first and second magnets each include a north pole and a south pole, with the north pole of the first magnet facing the first end of the coil and the south pole of the second magnet facing the first end of the coil.
In yet another embodiment in accordance with the principles of the invention, a steering mechanism is provided for a toy vehicle having first and second wheels. The steering mechanism comprises a steering module including a coil having a first end and a second end with a central axis extending between the first and second ends thereof. The steering module includes a first bar disposed adjacent a first end of a coil, and extended along a first substantially linear axis generally perpendicular to a central axis of the coil. The first bar may be stationary while the coil may be slidably engaged with the first bar along the first linear axis. The coil may be disposed within a frame, and the frame has a first side operatively connected to the first wheel and a second side operatively connected to the second wheel whereby movement of the coil along the first linear axis results in pivoting movement of the first and second wheels. In addition, first and second magnets are mounted on the first bar. The first and second magnets each include a north pole and a south pole, with the north pole of the first magnet facing the first end of the coil and the south pole of the second magnet facing the first end of the coil.
In another embodiment in accordance with the principles of the invention, a steering module for a toy vehicle is provided. The steering module includes a coil having a first end and a second end with a central axis extending between the first and second ends thereof, a bar disposed adjacent the first end of the coil and mounted for movement along a substantially linear axis generally perpendicular to the central axis of the coil, and first and second magnets mounted on the bar and moveable therewith along the substantially linear axis. The first and second magnets each include a north pole and a south pole, with the north pole of the first magnet facing the first end of the coil and the south pole of the second magnet facing the first end of the coil.
In yet another embodiment in accordance with the principles of the invention, a steering module for a toy vehicle is provided. The steering module includes a coil having a first end and a second end with a central axis extending between the first and second ends thereof, a bar disposed adjacent the first end of the coil and mounted along a first substantially linear axis generally perpendicular to the central axis of the coil. The coil may be disposed within a frame, and may be slidably engaged with the bar along the first substantially linear axis. First and second magnets are mounted on the bar and along the first substantially linear axis of the bar. The first and second magnets each include a north pole and a south pole, with the north pole of the first magnet facing the first end of the coil and the south pole of the second magnet facing the first end of the coil.
In another embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a wheel assembly for a toy vehicle includes a bar member including a first end and a second end, a spindle portion connected at each of the first and second ends of the bar member. The spindle portions each include a through hole, and the spindle portions enable steering of the toy vehicle. Further, the wheel assembly includes first and second wheels each having a boss that has a hole, the first wheel being operatively connected to the first end of the bar member and the second wheel being operatively connected to the second end of the bar member.
In another embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a toy vehicle is provided that includes a chassis, first and second wheels pivotally mounted to the chassis, and a steering mechanism mounted on the chassis and operatively connected to the first and second wheels for steering the wheels. The toy vehicle also includes a trailer portion. The trailer portion may have a gear assembly for turning the trailer portion.
A variety of additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.